H&M cuts 150 jobs at Edinburgh call centre as office set to close next year

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Huge job losses have been announced at H&M's Edinburgh call centre as 150 employees are set to lose their jobs.Staff at the fashion giant's Waverley Gate office were told in August of a proposal to shut the building due to the lease expiring in 2025 amid "increased competition, changing customer behaviours and operational costs."Employees were given two weeks' notice of their dismissal, but workers entitled to more notice will be paid in lieu.

Consultations with employees were held between September and November this year, and the company said several job losses were reduced by people being offered alternative roles, finding other employment, or choosing to leave voluntarily.

Operations in the call centre will cease from December 14 before the site closes in March 2025.A spokeswoman for H&M told BBC Scotland News: "We constantly evaluate how we operate to ensure that we deliver on our goals and contribute to the overall success of the company."Having looked into the scope of our customer service set-up, increased competition in the market, our customers changing behaviours and expectations and operational costs, we have made the difficult decision to proceed with the proposed closure of our customer service site in Edinburgh by the end of the year."A Scottish government spokesman also told the broadcaster: “This is a concerning time for employees and their families.

The Scottish government has engaged with H&M in an attempt to mitigate the impact of the closure and our Partnership Action for Continuing Employment service is already working with staff.” Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter .